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‘My struggle to stay private’ Actress Katherine Kelly, best known to millions as Corrie’s Becky, chats about her role in ITV’s new lavish costume drama Mr Selfridge – and staying out of the limelight!

By Alison James eeing Katherine Kelly dressed in her silk and satin Edwardian finery for her role in Mr Selfridge, it’s hard to believe she ever played scantily-clad, chain-smoking Becky in Corrie. She looks like two completely different people.

“Yes, well, I’m an actress,” she smiles. “I left Corrie because I wanted to play different people and that’s exactly what I’m doing in Mr Selfridge. My character, Lady Mae Loxley, couldn’t be less like Becky.

“She’s married to the richest man in England, is a society hostess and really posh. I like that, though. I often did a posh voice in plays at drama school and, on Mr Selfridge, I get the best stuff to wear! It’s just so lavish!”

Mr Selfridge tells the story of

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how the world-famous Selfridges department store in London’s Oxford Street came into being.

Harry Selfridge was a larger-thanlife American who, dissatisfied with the local shops when he moved to London, decided to open his own, very large, very modern, one in 1909.

Katherine (33) explains: “Lady Mae wasn’t a real person – she’s an amalgamation of two or three different ladies of the time. In the drama, she meets Harry Selfridge when he’s brought to one of her fashionable soirées. He’s like the Simon Cowell of his day.

“Harry is looking for someone to invest in his store and Lady Mae introduces him to a friend who becomes his backer. There’s no romance between them, though – I think they’re too alike.

He’s married but likes his young ladies, she’s married and likes her young men!

“Lady Mae is a mover and shaker of her day – as much as she can be. As a woman, she doesn’t have the vote, but she is very active, doing the public relations for the suffragettes’ cause.”

Harry Selfridge is played by American actor Jeremy Piven, the Golden Globe-winning star of the US sitcom Entourage.

‘I don’t want to be walking down the street and have cameras stuck in my face’ “He’s charming and charismatic,” laughs Katherine.

“He’s this big Hollywood star who knows everyone and has great stories, and there he is with me, chatting about how rubbish the coffee is on set. He’s just

❙ star talk ❙

With Hayley and Roy in Corrie (above) and with Steve Pemberton in She Stoops to Conquer

I hope!” she laughs. “She’s probably still smoking her face off, but I’d like to think she was tanned and happy.”

In the past, Katherine has said that Becky will definitely return to the Street one day. Is this still the case? “Well, there are some instances in which I think she’d just have to go back to Weatherfield. She has a deep attachment to Roy and Hayley so if anything happened to them – if they lost all their money, for example – she’d just have to come back and see them rather than just stuff some cash in an envelope.

When Betty Turpin died in the Street, it just wouldn’t have rung true if her son, Gordon, hadn’t come back.”

Now that Mr Selfridge is in the can and on our screens, what’s next for Katherine?

“A rest,” she replies. “I haven’t really stopped since I left

Corrie at the end of 2011. I did She Stoops To Conquer at the National Theatre in London, the Kenny Everett biopic on BBC4 in which I played his wife, then Mr Selfridge. It has been quite mad but brilliant, too. Whatever my next role is, I won’t want it to be another Lady Mae because I like ringing the changes.”

Away from work, Katherine prefers to live quietly (it is believed with her long-term boyfriend, actor Oliver Williams, although she prefers not to talk about her private life). “I need normal and down-toearth,” she says. “I don’t want to be walking down the street and have cameras stuck in my face, although that still does happen even when you’ve done nothing to invite it. I don’t want to be so well known that I’m not believable as an actress.” ✢ Mr Selfridge is on Sundays on ITV1.

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perfect to play a character like Harry Selfridge.”

By a quirk of fate, Katherine was actually in Selfridges when she received the script for the drama. “I was with a mate who had come over from Australia and I remember sitting in one of the cafés thinking, ‘Now wouldn’t this be interesting?’ Sure enough, I ended up in the production.

“I love shops like Selfridges and Liberty. Call me old-fashioned, but I much prefer a high street to a shopping mall. I really like shopping in vintage shops when you’re not really looking for anything specific. It’s just if something happens to catch my eye. I love the Northern Quarter in Manchester. There are some fantastic vintage shops there.”

Speaking of Manchester, what does Katherine imagine her former alter ego, Becky, is up to now? “Running a bar in Barbados,

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Katherine (left) with American actor Jeremy Piven and other members of the Mr Selfridge cast

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Audrey did it first

It’s 20 years since we mourned the loss of the legendary Audrey Hepburn – but her style still lives on...

Little black dress: Anne Hathaway gives a nod to Audrey’s most famous, and timeless, look

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❙ style legend ❙

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1) The Duchess of Cambridge copies Audrey’s full-length glamour and nipped in waist; 2) Kelly Brook recreates the iconic Breakfast at Tiffany’s look with her hair and shades; 3) Elle Macpherson does casual Audrey in capri pants and pumps, from1957’s Funny Face; 4) Actress Katherine Kelly opts for a full-bodied skirt, similar to the one Audrey sported in her1953 film Roman Holiday

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he was part of the golden era of Hollywood, and remains one of its most recognisable stars. The image of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, dressed in her tight-fitting black dress and huge dark sunglasses, staring into the window of Tiffany’s jewellers, will forever be imprinted on the hearts and minds of cinema-goers and fashion lovers everywhere.

January 20 this year will mark 20 years since Audrey’s death from cancer of the colon in 1993, aged just 63.

Her last days were spent as a passionate UNICEF ambassador, and she is, of course, widely remembered for wonderful films such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, “My Fair Lady” and “Funny Face”. But, decades later, it’s her flair for fashion that ensures she remains an icon.

Audrey was also a pioneer of numerous trends. She was one of the first to wear capri pants (pictured below) - a style that today’s fashionistas love, whether dressing up or down. And who could forget the glamour she brought to eveningwear with her flowing gowns, accentuated waist and elegant long gloves (pictured top right)?

2 Her most enduring style advice for today’s young women, though, came in her typical thoughtful manner: “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

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Style notes

GLOW through

WINTER Don’t let the cold weather leave your skin looking dull. Here’s how to keep a healthy, younger complexion through winter YOURS

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ADAPTING YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE Choose a soap-free cleanser as soap leaves skin dry and dull.”

At Eau Thermale Avène, pharmacist Bao-Tam Phan says moisturising is the key to radiant skin. “Once the temperature drops, switch to a slightly richer moisturiser, whatever your skin type.” Ingredients to look out for include glycerine, shea butter, grape seed oil, hyaluronic acid, ▼

Products

soy, urea and omega oils.

“Consider using a serum under your moisturiser to add an extra layer of hydration without making skin greasy,” says Bao-Tam Phan.

“And choose a creamier, gentler cleanser during the winter.”

UVA levels are just as high in winter, so it’s important to pick a moisturiser with sunscreen to protect your skin.

Normal/combination skin

TO TRY ✢ Eau Thermale Avène Gentle Gel Cleanser (£11.50, 200ml) gently cleanses and balances oily/dry areas. ✢ Nivea Visage Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Skin Refining Serum (£10.20, 30ml) is a light serum with hyaluronic acid to plump up skin and Q10 to fight wrinkles. ✢ Vichy Idealia Smoothing & Illuminating Cream (£22, 50ml) contains tea extract to boost radiance, smooth lines and soften dry areas.

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Oily skin ✢ Eau Thermale Avène Cleanance Anti-Shine Regulating lotion (£10.50, 40ml) is a light lotion that helps to regulate excess oil without drying skin. ✢ La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Cleansing Gel (£10.21, 200ml) gently removes excess oil without upsetting pH balance. ✢ L’Oréal Youth Code Luminize Serum (£24.99, 30ml) has an ultra-light texture that won’t clog pores.

EXFOLIATE FOR RADIANCE In winter dry skin can build up and cause a dull complexion.

Regular exfoliation will help restore the radiance to your face as it sloughs away the dead skin cells on the surface. “If your skin is very dry or sensitive, choose a very gentle exfoliant and limit use to once a week. Other skin types can exfoliate twice a week,” says Bao-Tam Phan. ✢ St Ives Elements

Products Warming Scrub

TO TRY (£4.99, 125ml) has a warming action that relaxes pores, with sunflower and chamomile to soothe. ✢ Sanctuary Radiance Exfoliator (£10.50, 100ml) has ultrafine particles with papaya, pumpkin and pineapple to increase radiance.

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Dry skin ✢ Nurture Protect Moisture Boosting Serum (£11.95, 30ml) is intensely hydrating to help protect from drying winds. ✢ M&S Pure Instant Radiance Hot Cloth Cleanser (£9.50, 200ml) with oils of chamomile, petitgrain and starflower. ✢ L’Oréal Paris Triple Active Day Multi-Protection moisturiser for dry and sensitive skin (£6.12, 50ml) gives long-lasting hydration with glycerine, UV protection, Vitamin E and B5.

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We can’t do much about the weather, but we can adapt our skincare routine to help prevent dull skin and dryness.

“The main issue in winter is lack of humidity as cold air is drier than warm air,” says cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting.

“Swap long, hot baths for shorter showers as hot water dehydrates skin.

With help from Kay, our curvy size 12 model, we decided to test for ouselves the best available ‘magic’ jeans that promise to slim and flatter

MIRACLE

By Jo Winch

BEFORE

STOCKISTS: George at Asda 0800 9520101; Isme 0844 811 8112; M&Co 0800 0317 200; Marisota www. marisota.co.uk M&S 0845 609 0200 Details correct at time of going to press

5 PHOTOS: RUTH JENKINSON; MASTERFILE; STYLIST: JO WINCH; HAIR & MAKE-UP: ANNA THOMPSON

Illusion jeans

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£16, 10-18, George at Asda What they do: The black stripe down each side of these jeans tricks the eye, making the wearer look taller and slimmer.

Yours verdict: For the confident or young at heart, these skinny jeans should be worn like leggings, with a longer length top or jacket. They are cut low on the hips, which can accentuate a muffin top, but the black stripe does help to slim legs, which is a bonus.

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Magi-fit boot cut

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£35, 10-32, Marisota What they do: These jeans have a hidden light tummy control panel, an elasticated waistband and a front seam to give the illusion of slimmer legs.

Yours verdict: The high waist and generous cut on the leg makes them feel more like trousers. They would hold in a wobbly tummy and the elastic waist stops any gaping at the back. We weren’t keen on the fake front pockets and shorter leg length, but the dark denim shade was very flattering.

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Secret shaping jeans £42, 10-28, M&Co What they do: The secret shaping, designed to minimise your curves, creates a flattering silhouette.

Yours verdict: These are really lovely, no-fuss classic boot-cut jeans. They are only available in a very dark blue, but this helps to make them even more slimming. A smart choice that hides tummy and hip bulges with a small amount of stretch to allow for comfort and shape. We give these the thumbs up!

JEANS on test! Style notes

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Body shape denim

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Eva jeans, £25, 8-22, short, medium, long leg length, M&S What they do: Three styles to fit all: pear shape (Eva), hourglass (Marilyn) and apple shape (Lana). We tested Eva, which is designed for a little waist and curvy hips, cleverly cut to ensure no gaping at the back waist with a generous cut through the leg.

Yours verdict: These fitted perfectly, were comfortable without being really stretchy and were a great length. They would be a terrific wardrobe staple.

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Now visit www.yours.co.uk for more great fashion advice

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Simply Wow thigh slimmers £44, 31-34in leg, 12-20, Marisota What they do: Legs appear longer and slimmer thanks to shading and curved seams, with a concealed elasticated curved waistband for a perfect fit.

Yours verdict: The subtle stretch adds comfort and they keep their shape. The clever seams at the back help to lift your bottom and the bootcut shape balances out heavy thighs, making legs appear thinner!

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Confident curves £29, 10-28, regular and long leg, Isme What they do: These brown jeans have a power mesh insert that gently controls your shape for a smooth, slimming fit.

Yours verdict: Really comfortable jeans that are generously cut. They sit quite high on the waist and would help to banish a muffin top. They tend to sag at the knees after a short wear, but we love the colour. Also available in black and blue.

Next issue: Bargain buys from your local supermarkets

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7 ways to ...

stay warm and s

Follow our handy tips to help you stay warm and save money on your energy bills your entitlements 1 Check

There are a number of schemes that senior citizens are entitled to during the winter months, so it’s worth checking to see if you are eligible. If you receive a pension, you can get Cold Weather Payments, which are automatically triggered when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of 0°C or below over seven consecutive days between November 1 and March 31. You will receive £25 for each seven-day period.

There is also the Warm Front Scheme, which you are eligible for if you receive a pension and own your own property.

Through the scheme, you can get a grant of up to £3,500 to pay for energy saving measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, draughtproofing and Insulate your home to keep the converting your solid-fuel open fire to heat in and save on bills a glass-fronted fire.

The money is paid directly to the company that undertakes the work (which must be approved

by Warm Front). Finally there are the Winter Fuel Payments, for which you receive between £100-300 tax-free if you were born before July 5, 1951. You should receive the payments automatically if you get the State Pension. For more information on all of these schemes, contact your local benefits office or visit www.gov.uk.

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your Layer up home ready 3 2Get

Have your heating system serviced and chimney swept, or ask your landlord to do this. If you have wood-burning, coal or gas heaters, make sure that you have adequate ventilation.

Unless your home is recently built, you are likely to be losing heat through draughts around doors and windows or up the chimney. Invest in draught-proofing products for doors and windows, seal your skirting boards with silicone sealant, and fit chimney balloons or sealed fire guards.

There may be an initial cost, but you could save up to £90 a year, so you will soon get your money back.

We all know about putting an extra jumper on when it’s cold, but did you know that it’s better to add two thin layers for warmth rather than one thick sweater? That’s because the air trapped between the layers serves as extra insulation, and thinner layers allow you to move around more freely, which in turn will help keep you warm.

Fabrics with the best insulating properties include wool, fleece and flannel. It is worth investing in some thermal underwear, too, for an extra layer of warmth.

save

gy bills this winter

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6 Eat regularly

Food is a vital source of energy that helps to keep your body warm so it is essential to have hot meals and drinks regularly throughout the day. It’s a good idea to make a large CHAPTER 2

By Jill Robinson

Read your meter and claim credit

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Avoid estimated bills if you possibly can. This is when your energy supplier guesses how much energy you use in a year and averages it out. It can leave you paying much more than you need. Provide your supplier with accurate meter readings instead, checking your meter at least once every three months. Record your usage by calling your supplier or setting up an online account.

If you’re heavily in credit, ask for some money back – it’s better earning interest in your bank account than theirs.

5Try switching

It’s always advisable to compare prices to make sure you are on the best deal. One easy way to do this is with Yours Switching which compares all energy suppliers, including British Gas, EDF, Eon and Npower, and will help you find the cheapest one or get the best deal possible from your current supplier.

Readers have saved up to £250 by calling the freephone number 0800 008 7777 or visiting www.yours.co.uk/switching

quantity of vegetable soup to freeze in batches as well as one-pot stews, casseroles and other hearty dishes.

Try this easily prepared recipe that makes inexpensive ingredients go a long way:

In a large saucepan, melt 50g (2oz ) unsalted butter, add 1 large onio n, finely chopped, and cook slowly.

Add 1 finely chopped clove of garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add a carr ot and celery stalk (chopped) and cook for a further five minutes. Add 1l (2 pt) vegetable stock, 1 can beans, 1 can of chopped tomatoes, pinch of drie d thyme, 1 tsp sugar, 1 bay leaf, and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and coo k gently for 30 minutes, or until the carrot and celery are tender – don’t stir too much or the beans will break up. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pep per, to taste. Eat as a chunky soup or whi zz in a food processor if you prefer a smo other texture. Makes enough for four portions.

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the way you pay 7Change

You can make serious savings on your fuel bills just by changing the way you pay. Most energy companies reserve their best deals for online customers so if you have access to a computer, use it. But they will also give you a better deal if you sign up to gas and electricity, known as a dual fuel tariff. You can also get a substantial discount – often as much as £100 a year on the average bill – if you pay by

monthly direct debit. And you can often save money by viewing your bills online, rather than receiving paper versions through the post.

Scottish and Southern Energy are two companies that offer a £6 per fuel annual discount for switching to paperless billing.

✢ For more information on how to prepare your home for winter and how to keep warm, visit www.ageuk.org.uk or call 0800 169 6565 to request a copy of their Winter Wrapped Up Guide.

STRUGGLING TO PAY YOUR BILLS? Most energy suppliers have extra help for vulnerable customers.

If you are worried, you can call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 336 699.

They can give you help and advice about paying your fuel bills. If you are threatened with disconnection, call the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0845 404 0506.

PICS: ALAMY; SHUTTERSTOCK; MASTERFILE

If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, don’t panic. You should contact your energy supplier as soon as possible as they are obliged to help you.

It is particularly important to mention if anyone in your household is vulnerable; for example, if there are young children, elderly people or people with disabilities living with you.

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HOME

& craft

❙ knitting ❙

Great outdoors Knit this chunky jersey to keep your youngsters snug and smart right through the chilliest winter months FOR KNITTERS WITH EXPERIENCE

★★★★

Yours tip Use a row counter or pen and paper to help when working the yoke.

MEASUREMENTS Age 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 years years years years years

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cm in cm in cm in cm in 93

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To fit chest 61 66 76 80 81 24 26 28 30 32 Actual measurement 64 71 76 80 84 25 1/4 28 30 31 ½ 33 Full length (approximately) 42 48 52 56 58 16 ½ 19 20 ½ 22 22 3/4 Sleeve length (adjustale) 29 33 37 41 42 11 ½ 13 14 ½ 16 16 ½